Every year, millions of dogs are adopted from shelters, yet some are returned within weeks or months. In this study, Powell et al. (2022) examined how adopter expectations and early dog behavior influenced post-adoption returns at a large South Carolina shelter.
Surveys from 132 adopters showed that those who returned their dogs within three months—median length of ownership only eight days—had higher expectations for the dog’s health, behavior, and the strength of the human–dog bond. Interestingly, expectations about the responsibilities of ownership, such as care and training demands, did not differ between returning and non-returning owners.
Across all adopters, about two-thirds reported behavioral problems shortly after adoption. The most common included training difficulties and fear-related behaviors. Encouragingly, these issues often improved over time: training difficulties significantly decreased between two days and four months post-adoption, while nonsocial fear declined notably between two weeks and four months.
The findings highlight the importance of adoption counseling to align expectations with reality. By preparing adopters for the likelihood of early behavioral challenges and providing post-adoption support, shelters can reduce returns, improve welfare for dogs, and help families build lasting bonds.
Source: Powell, L., Lee, B., Reinhard, C. L., Morris, M., Satriale, D., Serpell, J., & Watson, B. (2022). Returning a Shelter Dog: The Role of Owner Expectations and Dog Behavior. Animals, 12. Published April 19, 2022.
